National Grid is working on the basis that the UK is not on a trajectory to meet its 2050 decarbonisation target. The assumption came in the System Operator’s annual Electricity Capacity Report, which assesses capacity needs four years ahead to set…
Author Archive for New Power
UK Power Reserve starts new gas engine procurement
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UK Power Reserve has begun the tendering process for supplying 200MW of gas reciprocating engines. The company won 200MW of contracts in the most recent Capacity Market auction, taking the company’s total portfolio to over 1GW. The company is now looking for engine suppliers with: • …
Nuclear: it’s about generations
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In the olden days (the 1990s), when I worked on Nuclear Engineering International magazine, I couldn’t see why a European utility would go to the trouble and capital outlay of building a nuclear plant. A gas turbine would go up…
Octopus Energy chief: auto-switching is no way to build industry trust
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New market players aimed at encouraging switching are doing nothing to help build trust between the energy industry and consumers, according to Greg Jackson, founder of supplier Octopus Energy. “The current crop of auto switchers are just arbitraging loss-leading deals…
Capacity auction will seek 46.3GW for 2022/23, 4.6GW for 2019/20
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The Capacity Market auction this year will source 46,300MW of capacity for delivery in 2022/23, energy minister Claire Perry has decided. National Grid’s analysis resulted in a total capacity target for the delivery year of 46,700MW. The minister set aside 400MW. The T-1 auction this…
NextEnergy Solar Fund makes more acquisitions
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Next Energy Solar Fund (NESF), a specialist investment company for UK solar power plants, has acquired ten operating solar plants with a total installed capacity of 66.8MWp. All ten assets were connected to grid between 2012 and 2014 with subsidies,…
Consumer views sought on plans publicly-owned energy company in Scotland
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The public and other stakeholders have been invited by Holyrood’s Economy, Jobs and Fair Work committee to give their views on the feasibility of a not-for-profit, publicly owned energy company. Issues being considered include whether such a company will reduce costs for…
‘Road to zero’ electric vehicle strategy: the industry responds
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The government’s “Road to zero”, says that by 2030 at least half of new cars and 40% of new vans sold in the UK must be ultra low emission — defined as emitting less than 50g of carbon per kilometre…
OPINION: The UK faces a bleak energy future outside the EU’s internal market
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Speaking at the end of a House of Lords debate on energy and Brexit, Lord Teverson warned that the UK would not be ‘at the table’ on energy discussions after it leaves the EU. He warns that the EU’s interest…
System stability fears will require changes at 50,000 distributed generation plants
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Up to 50,000 distributed generators, who operate small plant less than 5MW in capacity, will have to make changes to plant operation to stop faults propagating across the electricity system and causing local blackouts. A consultation on how to implement…